Industry News

Nonferrous metals

Recycling Today ranks nonferrous scrap processors by pounds processed in 2022

Recycling Today, a sister publication to Construction & Demolition Recycling, has published its biennial list of the 20 largest nonferrous scrap processors in North America, with the No. 1 spot going to OmniSource Corp., headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The rankings were based on the total pounds of nonferrous scrap the companies processed in 2022, minus the pounds of nonferrous shredder byproduct produced by those firms that operate automobile shredders.

Other than United Scrap Metal of Illinois, all of the companies that ranked among the 10 largest processors operate auto shredders.

For much of 2020, scrap processors said scrap flows were softer than normal, particularly from the manufacturing sector, as industries adjusted to COVID-19-related lockdowns and associated staffing issues. However, by 2022, generation appeared to be on the upswing, according to figures reported to Recycling Today by scrap processing companies throughout North America.

That increase also likely illustrates the growing applications nonferrous metals, such as copper and aluminum, are used in.

As part of its monthly “Aluminum Situation” statistical report, the Aluminum Association, Arlington, Virginia, released preliminary estimates in March showing 2022 year-over-year demand growth of 4.8 percent for the aluminum industry in North America, which it defines as the U.S. and Canada. Aluminum’s demand growth outpaced the country’s gross domestic product growth last year, which is estimated at 2.7 percent.

“Geopolitical disruptions, supply chain issues and inflationary pressures could continue to pose some challenges in 2023,” Aluminum Association President and CEO Charles Johnson says. “However, with historic investment in U.S. aluminum manufacturing last year and continued market growth opportunities, the mid- and long-term trend lines for aluminum in America remain incredibly strong.”

Several new investments in recycled aluminum production, including by Steel Dynamics Inc., the parent company of OmniSource, are planned. Additionally, a number of companies have announced investments in secondary copper smelting. As these facilities begin operations, demand for nonferrous scrap should grow.

For the full list of the 20 largest nonferrous processors, see www.RecyclingToday.com/article/north-americas-largest-nonferrous-scrap-processors-2023.

Facility upgrade

California waste authority to break ground on $120M in facility upgrades

The Western Placer Waste Management Authority (WPWMA) of Placer County, California, says it has broken ground on a multiyear facility upgrade that will increase recycling rates and waste diversion efforts and jump-start a local circular economy, benefiting the region.

The agency says the $120 million in improvements will help the county keep pace with growth in the area.

Work on the first phase of WPWMA’s improvements, which will focus on construction and demolition (C&D) operations, began at an April 13 groundbreaking ceremony. The C&D facility recycles materials such as lumber, metals, carpet, drywall, concrete and other materials.

The WPWMA anticipates Placer County residents and businesses will dispose of approximately 115,000 tons of C&D debris this fiscal year. The WPWMA’s existing C&D facility, built in 1995, can process about 75,000 tons of material annually.

“These facility improvements will ensure our member agencies maintain local control, stable rates and that we can foster economic growth,” WPWMA Executive Director Ken Grehm says. “This first phase of our project reflects the tremendous growth our region has experienced and the proactive efforts of the WPWMA’s board of directors to best prepare us to meet the recycling needs of the region’s planned and anticipated development.”

According to WPWMA’s projections in the Renewable Placer Waste Action Plan, Placer County is on track to double its population over the next 30 years because of a housing boom in the western portion of Placer County.

The WPWMA says the upgraded C&D facilities will be able to process 238,000 tons of debris per year and achieve a minimum diversion rate of 65 percent, which complies with the CalGreen diversion standards that require at least 65 percent of the construction waste generated during most new construction projects to be diverted.

Houston-based FCC Environmental Services LLC and Cambridge Cos. Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, are helping to design and construct the upgraded facilities. The WPWMA says FCC was selected by its board of directors to design and operate the WPWMA’s facilities in late 2021 following a competitive bid process.

“These facility improvements will ensure we are able to meet the current and future needs of our community in a sustainable way that also prioritizes innovation and economic growth,” says Scott Alvord, WPWMA board chair.

WPWMA says it plans to shift its reliance from manual sorters to equipment and machinery, including optical sorters, 3D trommel screens, robotics and other modern waste management technologies.

The upgraded facility also will feature a ColdOx machine from Sweden-based Centriair, which is designed to oxidize volatile organic compounds and eliminate odors through the use of high-intensity ultraviolet light. Centriair says the system can reduce odors by 85 percent to 95 percent.

The facility also will include RoBB artificial intelligence-powered robotic sorters manufactured by Netherlands-based Bollegraaf. These machines are built around an array of optical sensors, such as near-infrared, RGB and height cameras, to sort up to four different materials and recover up to 70 recyclables per minute, according to the WPWMA.